Shade



Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,982

E. R. KIMBALL SHADE Filed Sept. 11, 1925 Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,687,982 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN ROBERT KIMBALL, OF WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE COMPANY, OF WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

snaps.

Application filed September 11,1925. Serial No. 55,670.

This invention relates to shades of the type consisting of a pluralit of wooden weft splints woven together y means of vertical cords. Such shades are especially 6 adapted for use in industrial plants, oflices and the like where it is desirable to reflect direct sun rays and heat while permitting" the passage of a maximum amount of light between the splints. Also it is desirable that 10 the shade shall be capable of reflecting interior light and at the same time avoid a tendency to accumulate dirt and grime.

In the manufacture of shades of this character, it is now common practice to stain the wooden splints a suitable color, and while this type of finish is capable of being applied economically, it has proven unsatisfactory from the standpoint of efliciency of the shade in that it offers little restriction to the absorption of heat by the wood, and such heat is radiated and inducted into the room or other enclosure with the passage of air currents aroundthe shade and through the spaces between the splints.

Thus the heat passes into the building and is retained therein, with the result that the urpose of the shade is defeated. The use of ight colored stains is desirable from the standpoint of light reflection, but a stain has little or no efiect 0n the surface of the wood, but leaves it relatively rough so that dirt has a tendency to cling or adhere thereto, a condition which is unsatisfactory not only from a sanitary standpoint but also because the :55 dirt imparts a darker color to the shade which then absorbs light and heat and thus defeats the purpose of the light stain. In some instances attempts have been made to use a paint or enamel finish for the splints, but this is unsatisfactory for the reasonthat paint or enamel cannot be applied to the individual splints before assembling without greatly increasin the cost of manufacture, and if applied to t e woven fabric it so covers and encases the warp cords as to interfere with there free flexing and frequently causes them to crack or break when the shade is rolled. Furthermore a paint or enamel has a tendency to soil easily and is diflicult to clean.

My aim, therefore, has been to overcome the difficulties which are thus involved in the manufacture and sale of shades, and to this end I have discovered that a substantially 66 pure metallic coating such, for example, as

aluminum bronze applied to the wooden splints of-a shade effectually accomplishes the desired results. Thus it is capable of reflecting substantially all of the heat and light rays striking the shade, preventing the absorption of heat by the splints and hence its radiation and inductance into the room or chamber. Furthermore, such acoating is capable of being applied economically and practically in the manufacture of the shades and not only does it not interfere With or affect the flexibility of the warp cords to their injury, but the surface of the coating lends to the splints a smooth, semipolished finish attractive in appearance and of a texture such that dirt and grime will not readily cling thereto, and the little that does cling may be easily removed by washmg.

I have shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings a front elevational view of a wood fabric shade of the type to which, my invention relates.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the splints on a larger scale, illustrating the lustrous finish obtained by the use of the pure metallic coatingr Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through one of the splints on a still larger scale, I

The shade may be of any usual or preferred construction, comprising a plurality of horizontal wooden weft splints or slats"? and end strips 8 suitably connected together in spaced relation by means of a plurality of warp cords 9, the construction being such that the warp cords provide flexible connections between adjacent splints to permit the shade to be rolled and unrolled as desired. 1O designates a coating possessing 95 high light and heat reflecting qualities herein I shown as applied to the sides and to the edges of the splints.

The material used for the coating 10 for the splints is a substantially pure metal such, for example, as polished aluminum powder suspended in a suitable liquid vehicle so as to be capable of being applied by any of the usual and well known methods such, for example as brushing, spraying or dipping. When applied the liquid vehicle penetrates the wood and on drying leaves the leafy, flaky particles of metal clinging tenaciously to the surface in the form of a practically continuous metallic film, entirely encasing 110 the wood. The result is that the finish producedis substantially smoother than the finish obtained when stain is used, and because of the light colored, lustrous character thereof it serves efiectually to reflect the heat and light rays, thus preventing the absorption of heat and light by the splints and any subseuent radiation or inductance of heat into tie room by air currents assing between the splints or around the s ade.

The lustrous finish, moreover, while lending to the heat and light reflecting quallties of the coating on the exterior of the shade, increases the efliciency of the shade on the interior of the room by reflecting interior light instead of absorbing the light as is the case with the relatively darker colors used heretofore.

Also the coating on the edges of the slats provides reflecting surfaces which direct light rays into the room Without changing the color thereof,.which is of substantial advantage where a clear white light is desired. In cases where the shade is used in avmoist or damp atmosphere it has been found that my improved coating serves effectually as a protection against the accumulation of mold.

It is also found that dirt and grime do not have a tendency to cling or adhere to the coating as it does to a stained wood surface, and any soil may be quickly and easily removed by ordinary washing methods without injuring the coating.

At the same time, the cost of manufacture is not materially increased over the use of stains and is less than the cost of shades provided with enamel coatings. The coating may be applied either before or after the splints are connected by the warp cords, and

it has been found to serve as a lubricant to the cords, permitting the easy relative movement of the splints 1n the operation of rolling and unrolling the shade, and thus servin to increase the life of the shade.

claim as my invention:

1. A shade composed of a plurality of thin flat splints constituting a weft with warp cords connecting said splints in spaced edge to edge relation to form a woven fabric, and a coating of substantially pure metal applied to the fabricand possessing high light and heat reflecting qualities while permitting i'ree flexing of the warp cords.

2. A shade composed of a plurality of thin flat splints constituting a weft with warp cords connecting said splints in spaced edge to edge relation to form a woven fabric, and a metallic light-reflecting coating of a flaky or granular composition such as aluminum bronze applied to the fabric.

3. A s ade composed of a plurality of thin flat splints having a coating of aluminum bronze applied to the sides and edges thereof, said splints being hingedly connected-togetlier in spaced edge to ed e relation. 4. A shade composed of a p urality. of thin fiat splints having a light and heat reflecting coating such as aluminum bronze applied thereto, and cords connecting said splints together in spaced edge to edge relation.

5. A shade composed of a pluralrty of thin flat slats connected together in spaced relation and having a coating of substantially pure metal applied thereto and possessing hight light and heat reflecting qualities.

6. A shade composed of a plurality of thin flat slats connected to ether in spaced relation and having a lig t and heat reflecting coating of aluminum bronze.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto'affixed my signature. v

E. IIZtOBER"I. KIMBALL. 

